#31 – The Future of Hardcover Live

Adam & Ste chat about the next season of Hardcover Live and how it’ll integrate with the site.

Summary

In this episode, Adam and Ste catch up after the holidays and discuss the recent launch of Year in Books. They also brainstorm ideas for the future of Hardcover Live, including bringing on guests from the book community and exploring different formats. They consider the length of each episode and the possibility of having community members join the show. Overall, they aim to make Hardcover Live a platform for insightful discussions about the book industry and a way to connect with authors, book bloggers, and book influencers. In this conversation, Ste and Adam discuss various topics related to the future plans and possibilities for Hardcover. They explore the idea of facilitating author Q&A sessions, targeting different personas in the book industry, engaging with peers in similar projects, and the diverse formats that Hardcover can offer. They also discuss the importance of open source collaboration and the potential challenges of open sourcing data. Additionally, they consider the possibility of creating a blockchain public database for book data and syncing data with OpenLibrary.

Takeaways

The Year in Books launch was a success, with a significant increase in signups and positive feedback from users.
Hardcover Live has the potential to become a platform for insightful discussions about the book industry, connecting with authors, book bloggers, and book influencers.
The format of Hardcover Live can be expanded to include guests from the book community, allowing for deeper conversations and learning from their expertise.
The length of each episode should be around one hour, with a focus on concise and engaging discussions. Hardcover can facilitate author Q&A sessions to engage with readers and provide a platform for interaction.
Targeting different personas in the book industry, such as authors, book influencers, editors, and librarians, can help broaden Hardcover’s reach and impact.
Engaging with peers in similar projects can provide valuable insights and opportunities for collaboration.
Open source collaboration is important for Hardcover’s growth and development, allowing for community contributions and improvements.
Creating a blockchain public database for book data and syncing data with OpenLibrary can enhance the availability and accessibility of book information.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Holiday Recap
07:37 Year in Books Launch
17:18 Discussion about Hardcover Live
27:06 New Format Ideas
40:06 Episode Length and Guest Ideas
46:01 Facilitating Author Q&A
46:38 Target Personas
47:20 Engaging with Peers
48:04 Diverse Formats for Hardcover
49:23 Open Source Collaboration
50:51 The Value of Open Source
51:28 Challenges of Open Sourcing Data
52:28 Blockchain Public Database
53:28 Open API and Contribution
55:00 Collaborating with OpenLibrary
56:55 Syncing Data with Open Library